Mail receiver an deliverer for railway-trains.



A. MATLAK. MAIL BEGEIVBHAND DELIVEREB FOB RAILWAY TRAINS.

I APPLIOATION FILED FEB. 14, 1908. I 91 3, 35; Patented Mar. 2, 1909.;

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A. 'MATLAK. MAIL RECEIVER Am) DELIVEBBB FOR RAILWAY TRAINS.

APPLICATION I 'ILED FEB. 14, 1908.

Patented Mar. 2, 1909.

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A. MATLAK. MAIL RECEIVER AND DELIVERER FOR RAILWAY TRAINS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 14, 1908.

Patented Mar. 2, .1909.

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ES PAT ANTON MATLAK, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS,

NT FFIQE.

OF TEN THIRTY-SECONDS TO KASIMIR WISNIEWSKI, TEN THIRTY-SECONDS TO MARIAN SKIKIEWICZ, AND TEN THIRTY-SECONDS TO FRANCIS I. KUJAWSKI, ALL OF CHICAGO,

ILLINOIS.

MAIL RECEIVER AND DELIVERER FOR RAILWAY-TRAINS.

useful improvements in mail receivers and deliverers for railway trains, and the primary object thereof is to construct a simple and practical catching and delivery apparatus to take on and deliver mail in bulk while the train is in motion.

An important feature of my invention consists in means withdrawable within the car for holding and discharging the mail at the proper time to pass to a stationary receiving trough.

A further important feature of my improvement consists in valve mechanism at the outer end of the mail delivery chute carried by the car.

Withthese and other objects in view, my invention consists of the novel features and the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more specifically described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and

particularly pointed out in the claims hereunto appended.

In describing the invention in detail, reference is had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification wherein like reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which Figure 1 is a cross-section tlu-ough a car with parts in elevation and parts broken away. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the car and the stationary receiving trough with discharge chute in position for delivery. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section through the stationary trough, and the receiving trough carried bythe car, and the car in side elevation. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail view of a delivery chute. Fig. 5 is a section on line 5-5 of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a detail section of a spherical mail-bag holder. Fig. 7 is a small detail view of a hook carried by the arm of the crane for supporting the s herical mailba holder. Fig. 8 is a detai plan of one cut of the dislodging means. And Fig. 9 is Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed. February 14, 1908.

Patented March 2, 1909.

Serial No. 415,797. i

a view of the same in a position it would take before breaking from impact with the spherical mail-bag holder.

Referring to the drawings by reference numerals, 11 denotes a car, with a longitudinally disposed receiving trough 12' upon either side of the top of the car, and having one 01' more discharge openings 13 therefrom into the car. Preferably said troughs are constructed with the bottom portions inclined downwards and two discharge openings are made in each.

For the purpose, of raising and holding the mail-bag holder in a position to be received by the moving train, I have provided a crane comprising a vertical post 14, nonrotatable on its axis, having a jib or projecting arm 15, and a vertically slidable casing 16 partly embracing the post. The rope 17 at its upper end is attached to casin 16, over pulley 18, and at its lower end to winch 19.

For the purpose of dislodging the spherical mail-bag holder 20 so that it may pass into the receiving trough of the car, 1 have constructed what is termed a trip ing bar 21 suitably attached and braced an carried by the car. At either end of this bar (see Figs. 8 and 9) there is a pivoted extension with a spring blade 22 to hold the same in normal position and )revent breaking by the impact with the mail-bag holder.

For the purpose of unloading the mail holder and its contents, I have devised means for delivery comprising a delivery chute or long radius elbow 23, having a pivoted valve 24, with a rearwardly extending operating arm 25, ada ted to be held in normalor closed position y a spring 26, one end of which is in recess 27 of lug 28, and the other end of which is inserted in a hole in the bolt 29. The part 30 of the bolt is preferably square to fit a similar opening in the valve arm. The forward edge of the valve travels and normally rests in the internal groove 31. The delivery chute preferably is of such construction that it may be withdrawn from the extended position required when mail is to be delivered at a station. The collar 32 has secured thereto arm 33, pivoted at 34 to the inside wall of the car.

For the purpose of assisting in the safe delivery of the mail-bag holder, a stationary receiving trough 35 is longitudinally disposed alongside the railway track and in a plane below the plane of the outer end of the delivery chute when it is in delivery position. Preferably the bottom of the trough inclines downward to about the center where it connects with a discharge conduit 36 leading to the interior of the station. To still further assist in the safe delivery of the mail, a mailbag holder (shown in Fig. 6) is constructed, preferably of two inner metallic hemispheres 37, hinged together at 38, with means for looking at 39. Outside the metal spherethere is a multiplicity of radially disposed cushion springs 40, and two outer hemispheres 41 of woven wire, suitably secured to the hinge 38, and the locking members 39. The rod 42, with its spiral spring 43 below the Woven wire covering has an eye 44 in which to insert the hook 45 (see Fig. 7) for the purpose of holding the spherical mail-bag holder until tIi ped by the tripping bar 21.

For t e purpose of operating the valve in the end of the delivery chute 23, there is disposed in the path of the arm 25 an elongated upward extension 46 of the side wall of the receiving trough 35. a

In operation it is thought it will be apparent that when the mail-bag holder is suspended in position on the crane, and the car arrives at the place for the tripping bar to contact with the bag holder, the holder will be dislodged and drop into a receiving trough and pass down through one of the discharge openings therefrom into the moving car. When, approaching a station where mail is to be delivered, assuming the mail bag within the holder, a delivery chute is projected to delivery position and the spherical holder placed therein and permitted to roll down upon the valve which is normally closed, and when the car arrives alongside the stationary receiving trough 35, where the upward extension 46 is in the path of the arm 25, the valve will be open and the mail holder will pass to the receiving trough and from thence to wherever it may be, conducted.

I do not limit my invention to the foregoing illustration and description of the preferred, form in which it has been embodied.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. Ina mail delivery apparatus of the class described, the combination of a car, and a delivery chute through a wall of the car and having-its outer end closed by a valve.

2. In a mail delivery apparatus, the combination of a, car, a delivery chute through a wall of the car and having its outer end closed by a valve, and a stationary receiving trough carrying an extension in the path of the arm of the valve when the car is in motion.

3, In a deliveryapparatus, the combina- ,see

outer end, and a stationary receiving trough.

4. In a mail catching and delivery apparatus, the combination of a car, a mail holder, receivin means carried by the car, means to suspend the mail holder above the plane of the receiving means, means carried by the ear to trip the mail holder, a delivery chute through a wall of the car and having a valve at its outer end, a stationary receiving trough, and means for operating the valve. 5. In a mail catching and delivery appa ratus, a mail holder comprising a pair of hemispherical sections hinged together and a latch to secure the same together, a multiplicity of cushion springs arranged on the exterior surface of said sections, and a pair of hemispherical sections of wire cloth enveloping the springs.

6. In a mail delivery apparatus, the com. bination of a car, a delivery chute through a wall of the car and having its outer end closed by a valve, a stationary receiving trough carrying an extension in the path of the arm of the valve when the car is in motion, and a conduit connected with the receiving trough and extending to the interior of the station.

7. In a mail catching and delivery apparatus for railway mail cars, the combination of a track crane, a car, a dislodging arm on said car and a longitudinal receiving trough extending approximately the length of the car and provided with a pair of discharge chutes extending down into the interior of the car, and with the bottom of the trough inclined toward said chutes, substantially as set forth.

8. In mail catching and delivery apparatus for railway mail cars, the combination of a discharge chute extending laterally through the side wall of the car and. having a curved form, a gate closing the outer end of said chute, a stationary operating bar for said gate, and a stationary longitudinal receiving trough arranged beneath the outer end of said chute, substantially as set. forth.

9. In a mail catching and delivery apparatus for railway mail cars, the combination of a discharge chute extending laterally through the side wall of the car and having a curved form, a pair of radius links forming a pivotal attachment for said chute to the body of the car, a gate closing the outer end of said chute, a stationary operating bar for said gate, and a stationary longitudinal receiving trough arranged beneath the outer end of said chute, substantially as set forth.

10. In a mail catching and delivery apparatus for railway mail cars, the combination of a discharge chute extending laterally through the side wall of the car and having-a curved form, a gate closing the outer end of said chute, a stationary operating bar for tion of a car, a delivery chute through one said gate, a stationary longitudinal receiving wall of the car and having a valve controlled- 10 gether, a latch for securing the same together,

and a series of cushion s the interior surface of sai tially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

ANTON MATLAK.

rings arranged on sections, substan- Witnesses -S. ELVA .KELLOGG,

ALICE MURRAY. 

